lover from the past
by Ilara Zadlo
Summary: I UPLOADED! read and review! ginnysirius story: he "magically" returns after 15 years, she's in the usa. hot-tempered, lonely girl and man who lost everything. R? definitely
1. the curtain

Lover from the past  
  
A story about Sirius and Ginny  
  
AN: it's a freaky little thing. I must say I don't like such pairings but I've just read OotP once more and I can't help thinking Ginny would be the woman for him (we all know for whom). Why? She's smart and gorgeous and she would be a beautiful woman in, let's say 15 years.  
  
And I want to hear no complaints about a fact that SB and GW are related. Everyone's related.  
  
Disclaimer: I see no point in writing that HP stuff isn't mine. Even if I wrote that, you wouldn't believe me. But I DO NOT own JK's characters. Only the future plot in the story is mine. Thank you!  
  
Summary. 15 years after Sirius was killed and 13 after Voldemort was defeated Ginny Weasley works in the USA. One day Sirius appeared in her institute. Dead? Petrified? Frozen? It's obvious what will happen: attractive man and lonely woman... Will they at last find their place on Earth?  
  
Why is he back after so many years? To date Ginny, of course.  
  
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1. The curtain  
  
Ginny Weasley was a beautiful, freckle-faced, red-haired thirty-year-old woman. She wasn't tall as some of her brothers, but still she was very slender. And she was, surprise, lonely woman. Lonely, attractive woman who worked as a scientist thousands of miles away from her family and friends. She moved to the States few years ago, because she couldn't find reasonable job in England. She decided that if it's impossible for her to lead a happy personal life, at least she should be satisfied at work.  
  
During the 2nd war against Voldemort she dealt with Ancient Arts and she left school with the idea that it was the most fascinating thing she could do. But, Ancient Force was needed to fight with the dark, after the end of Voldemort movement people found it too complicated to use in practice. Ginny thought it was ridiculous and absurd, but agreed to live an outcast life of scientist. At first she worked at St. Mungo's as ancient healing methods specialist, but the connections between the hospital and politics were too dangerous for a young scientist to stay there longer. She didn't have there freedom she needed. And that ministerial correctness drove her crazy.  
  
She took few years off and flew all around the world, seeking information on Ancient methods of fighting against DA, healing people and living. She became more and more confident that it was the purest and the best magic she could do. She wanted to write about that, but, of course, none in Europe wanted to pay for it. It was like archaeology to them, something unimportant. She was offered a post in American Wizardry Scientific Institute. She was a specialist in ancient arts and DADA and was to help when needed. In spare time she could write her books.  
  
Mother cried, friends cried, but Ginny said it's not that far, that oversea Floo flights are quick and tireless, that they would be visiting one another. First months were really like traveling here and there for Ginny, but she got too tired. Now she visited her parents once or twice a year, on holidays or Christmas. But in fact she had a new life there.  
  
Was she enjoying it?  
  
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'Ms Weasley' cried a young witch on practicum in Ginny's department. Ginny gave up convincing her to say "Ginny" instead. She was too young to remember the war but was really attracted by Ginny's stories. She treated it like myth or legend. Ginny felt terribly old though she was maybe 10 years older.  
  
'Yes, Polly?' Ginny was sittin in her armchair, thinking and really wanted to rest from work. She wanted no more special and urgent visits at mysterious (in theory, usually boring and ordinary) places, telling people with the knowledge of 2-year old child that this is not DA but a result of throwing away dangerous poisonous ingredients.  
  
'oldyatelmeoncmor'bouharrpoer'  
  
'I beg your pardon??'  
  
'Could you tell me once more 'bout Harry Potter??'  
  
'Polly, give me a break and begin some serious work, please. Send him an owl if you love him, but I must warn you he's married.'  
  
'I know, I know' sweet girl was begging Ginny and Ginny knew that if she were a man she would with no hesitation jump in fire for her. Ginny smiled maliciously, and said.  
  
'What have you got there? Harry's photo. You want me to sign it?'  
  
'This is not a picture. But could ya get his autograph for me?'  
  
'Don't be ridiculous, Polly. He's not a pop-star. What is it?'  
  
'Another work to do' said the girl miserably and passed the parchment to Ginny.  
  
'Suspected dark quell at Agriculture Department' Ginny sighed with despair. Not again something such stupid. 'Let's do it. The quicker the better.'  
  
Ginny took her basic detectors, a wand. They left the sunny, spacious office and directed to the elevator. The department was on the ground floor and in the southern wing. A long way, sighed Ginny. And what for?  
  
'we're gonna walk that long and what for? To tell the idiots that they should clean their bins from time to time, not call emergency every time something smells' she complained and looked at her assistant. Polly could have been pretty, but she lacked of humour.  
  
'They wrote that several strange things appeared in one of the rooms.'  
  
'Strange things like what? Dragon's eggs?'  
  
'Well... No, but still not in right place. Like a frying pan...'  
  
'Polly, it's groceries department. They fry eggs, zum Beispiel!'  
  
'What? But other: a book, a bicycle, a wand. And all f them were cool.'  
  
'Cool. I expect bicycle to be cool. It's almost as funny as a broom.'  
  
'Grrrr... Not great, but cold. Like ice.'  
  
'Thanks God we're there' muttered Ginny and left the elevator. Every time she talked to Polly she thought she was in a wrong place.  
  
But the conversation with the Agriculture Dep. receptionist warned her to leave the place as soon as possible.  
  
'Yes' said a young, pretty, Texan girl. She was wearing a pink, girlish- cowboy suit and fashionable glasses.  
  
'Virginia Weasley and Polly Allaman, DADA Office. We're here to check out the "magic things" in room 55b.'  
  
'Wait a minute, please. The assistant will be here to take you. I have to tell him what are you here for...'  
  
She waited. Ginny gazed at her with disbelief.  
  
'I. Have. Just. Told. You. My. Dear. We're. Here. To deal with the dark murmurs, we're from DA!'  
  
'What is DA?'  
  
Ginny laughed. Still, it was good it was just a secretary, not an executioner.  
  
'Here you are the paper that's just arrived at my table. Please, I'd like to go there as soon as possible so I could leave as soon as possible and have a drink so that I could forget about that fascinating and intelligent conversation with YOU.'  
  
Ginny rarely shouted, but she couldn't stand illogical people. Polly finally managed to talk to the girl (she used not complicated words like do and have and made her Hollywood smile; a moment later the Texan girl thought Polly was the leader).  
  
They finally managed to go on and approached door that had "No Entrance" sign on it. They entered a cold, muddy room that looked like a hole, deep in forest.  
  
In the middle of the chamber stood something like a window, with ugly, grey curtain. Ginny stood like petrified. She had seen something similar before. Where?  
  
'What is it?' she spoke to herself, the assistant who lead them there must have heard it and answered. Magic was gone.  
  
'It's the thing that throws away all the stuff that's there in the corner. It appeared here few weeks ago, but we all are used to things appearing here and there, aren't we?' said the man and Ginny thought she didn't like him either.  
  
The curtain moved and the idea hit Ginny. She had seen something like that, like a veil in the department of mysteries in London. The veil behind which Sirius was gone and died. She didn't like the curtain either.  
  
"Get a grip" she told herself "or soon you will hate even your own bed"  
  
She passed the window and directed to the things in the corner. The bicycle was damaged and not interesting.  
  
'Can I leave you here, girls' the man was annoying 'I'm really occupied.'  
  
'Of course' mocked Ginny and picked the wand. 'There're loads of stuff more interesting than mysterious gates in common rooms.'  
  
He didn't get the irony and left with a self-satisfied smile.  
  
'Hmm, I must have seen a similar one' she said about the wand.  
  
'Ms Weasley, you've seen thousands of wands. They're all similar.'  
  
'Check if anybody hasn't lost it. There should be actual list of lost wands on WIN' (Wizardry Information Net – their www)  
  
Polly went to the nearest fire place and typed something on a screen that was next to it. She was waiting for information and Ginny was researching around the curtain. She used her DA detectors, but found no dark activity around. She didn't feel it either, so she was sure it was clear. She was also sure, that the things were frozen for a longer while, much longer than few weeks.  
  
She was also sure that behind that curtain was a gate to another place, maybe another time or parallel world. She was not stupid enough to jump there just like that, but couldn't avoid thinking it would be at last interesting.  
  
The curtain moved and Ginny felt a cold breeze on her arms. Her hair moved, too. She gazed intensively at the material. Polly returned from the net- connector and stood just behind Ginny, afraid to come nearer to something freezing.  
  
'That's black oak, isn't it?' Ginny nodded. 'Very rare, only one lost in past few years, but it was shorter. I've checked only few years back, I don't think they have previous register.'  
  
Ginny nodded once again and watched the veil. Suddenly it moved as if a storm had pushed it and a thunder sound appeared somewhere far behind it. Polly jumped backwards, but Ginny was hypnotised and was staring at the material. Then there was a loud CRACK and a body was thrown away. The moment it reached the ground the curtain disappeared.  
  
Ginny jumped of her mind because of Polly's scream. The girl had her voice. Ginny came closer to the man. She was strangely sure it was a man. The figure was tall, but thin and was wearing dirty black robes. He didn't move. Ginny touched the material, it was cold (frozen), but was being warmed up quickly. Then she touched the skin of the man. It was also dead- cold, but was gaining temperature unbelievably quickly. His skin was soft and full of mysterious energy. Ginny trembled. She pulled the arm of the man so he laid on his back. She stood up quickly, because she had seen the least expected face. The regretted face of Sirius Black, just as she had remembered him.  
  
Polly came closer.  
  
'Is he dead?'  
  
'He was to be dead...'  
  
'What do you mean?'  
  
Ginny checked Sirius' pulse few times and was sure she found his heart beating.  
  
'Call healer Houston, we have to take him upstairs.'  
  
'What do you mean by telling he should be dead?'  
  
'I knew him. He died in a fight 15 years ago. It's Sirius Black.'  
  
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A//N: and???? Write what you think? I love the idea!!!!! And I want him back!!!!! Even after so many yrs!!!! 


	2. healing

AN this is another chapter, read and write if you liked it!!  
  
2. The healing  
  
'What do you think, Holly?' Ginny asked. She was anxious and fearful. She was standing next to a tall, blonde woman – healer Houston, Ginny's only true friend in America.  
  
'Well, I can't believe it, Ginger' she smiled at Weasley, 'You claim he'd been killed, but he's perfectly alive. I guess it's a type of coma, connected with the fact that he's been frozen. Don't ask me, I don't know the answers.'  
  
Ginny choked and looked at Sirius. His shoulder length hair was lying on sheets and his face was almost as pale as the material. He was breathing very slowly and didn't move. Holly checked his temperature once again, it's been rising and was almost normal right now. He wasn't hurt much; Ginny found no signs of the spells that must have attacked him in the Ministry.  
  
'You think we should try Villmaster Potion to awaken him?'  
  
'Well' the healer hesitated. 'I find it too aggressive. Maybe if he doesn't wake in a week or so...'  
  
'Week??' Ginny cried. She had just regained a friend from the past, a man for whom all of them cried and was to wait so long???? 'But do you think he's safe?'  
  
'What are you planning, Weasley?' Holly asked suspiciously. 'I want no crazy, ancient experimenting here, andaztood???'  
  
'You know what is your problem?' said Ginny and Holly began to nod her head. 'Your government is paying me to reveal the beauty of ancient arts and you, educated magician, refuse to use it!!!'  
  
'Yeah' sighed Houston. 'That's definitely a problem.'  
  
'But, leaving the ancient, I'm still a DA specialist in here and, though I want to believe it has nothing to do here, he wasn't cursed with some strong dark spell, I should check it...'  
  
'Ad how do you want to do it, my defence master? Wanna tear his hair away? Cut his belly? What?'  
  
'Oh, why do I have to work with ignorant people?'  
  
Holly laughed loudly and spoke, unable not to giggle:  
  
'so, what are you up to, love?'  
  
'Get off me, I'm'nt gonna talk t'ya!'  
  
'I prefer when you use English.'  
  
'And I prefer when you think!'  
  
'Impossible.'  
  
'Yeah, impossible...'  
  
'Oh, Ginny. What d'ya want?'  
  
'I'd like to try Veritaserum...'  
  
'You want to make him talk? He's too weak, Ginny. You can't?'  
  
'Do you know anyone who didn't survive it?'  
  
'They tried in on stunned, petrified, unconscious people but not on people recovering from being frozen and in coma!!'  
  
Ginny sat on a chair next to the bed and looked down. Sometimes, and she knew it, medical treatment is not as important as the safety of the rest of the world. The magical (truly magical) appearance of a dead-to-be man consisted of some kind of miracle. Or dark arts.  
  
'Holly, I have no idea why is he back. What forces there were used to bring him back. We're even not 100% sure that it's Sirius Black, for it can be someone after Polyjuice of something stronger, so that he isn't changing yet. I have to inform the government, or, which is what I'm gonna do, tell Dumbledore. He's still the best.'  
  
'Strange, comparing with fact that YOU are here' mocked Holly.  
  
'I know' mocked Ginny.  
  
They were silent for a while, because the situation wasn't funny and laugh would be inappropriate. Then Ginny spoke pleadingly:  
  
'Dark Arts are very dangerous and I cannot allow any of you here unless I am sure it is perfectly safe to take care of Sirius.' She stroke gently Sirius pale hand. 'we'll prepare safety measures, so that he won't be out of medical control.'  
  
Ginny still looked puzzled and Holly smiled to her.  
  
'You like him, Ginny.'  
  
'What? Of course I like him. And I really want him to be normal.'  
  
* * **************************************************************************** *  
  
the day after that Ginny decided to use Veritaserum. She believed in her ordinary defensive systems, but wanted to be sure. It still was an impossible miracle that Sirius came back as if he left a day before. A day that lasted 15 years for the rest of the world.  
  
Holly the healer allowed Ginny to keep Sirius conscious for maximum a minute.  
  
'It must be long enough for you, but he's still in my ward, dark or not, and he can't die like that in here.'  
  
'Thanks, Holly, it'll be enough' Ginny smiled.  
  
'So' Holly smiled back, sneering a little. 'Are you sure you can prepare the potion or you will call Magical Hotline?'  
  
She stared at Ginny with pride: Ginny hated to be suspected of incapability of doing something.  
  
'Well, but I'm saying it just for your information. I have the potion in here and I'm going to use it straight away!'  
  
'You're kidding' said Houston, her smile adding away.  
  
'Nope.' Said Ginny and put out of her pocket a bottle, a tiny little pocket with green liquid inside. 


	3. news

AN: Wow! Tada! I'm back!!! Are you happy? Excited? Nervous? Sorry, it took me so long, lack of inspiration or something. This story wasn't my favourite, but… I like it. So…

Oh, I almost forgot: Review, please. And don't wait as long as I did to upload. 

**3. News**

'_Enervate_!' said Ginny loudly as she pointed Sirius' chest with her wand. She had just given him a teaspoon of Veritaserum and was impatient to hear the information she was curious, straight from his unconscious and unaware mind. Of course, the spell worked immediately and Healer Houston, who was standing behind a glass wall and watching Ginny's work cursed loudly. She couldn't help treating such a treatment with fear. And disgust. But she knew there was no discussion with that Weasley girl, considering she was once again trying to heal the world.

She was concerned about the condition of that Black frozen and unfrozen guy, even though he looked quite well (apart from the fact that one: he was unconscious and not moving; two: Houston had read a little bit about the latest history and was sure he was killed). It seemed that Ginny was the only one who could reveal the secret of this mysterious resurrection. And, Houston had to admit it reluctantly, Ginny looked really sexy and attractive when she was doing her usual DADA job. She looked powerful, had everything under control and that green, tight shirt worked her good. Holly smiled, Allen, her assistant, must have seen it too, and he was almost high, trying to hide the saliva that was coming slowly out of his lips. Holly was a little bit jealous, she was used to men falling at her feet, but Allen was incredibly immune to that. One of the causes could be a rough and convincing talk that the head of Communications Dep., who happened to be Holly' husband, gave Allen last year about how he hates when people stare passionately at his wife. Holly smiled at the memory, yes, Henry, a tall, well built man, could be very convincing.

'Don't flood me the room' she warned him and Allen had to find something else to look at, he chose the prescriptions.

Although they couldn't see it, Ginny was a little bit nervous when awoken him. She was worried that the potion could kill him, she was worried that he had his mind cleared and would not remember who he was. But most of all she was scared that this wouldn't be Sirius Black at all.

Sirius, or the man who was looking just like him, opened his eyes. Widely, like a zombie, but Ginny noticed he had still his coal-black eyes. Eyes straight form hell that could lead you to heaven (stop, Ginger, she cursed herself, don't ever think about that!!!). Ginger sighed and the fact wasn't unnoticed by Holly the healer, who was more and more convinced about Ginny's feelings, too passionate and too confused to be feelings of someone who considered herself to be only a friend.

Ginny bit her lower lip and spoke. Her voice was melodious, but firm and self-confident:

'Tell me your name!' she simply ordered. Sirius was motionless, his eyes wide open, looking into nowhere. After a short pause his dry lips moved and a trembling, but still masculine and deep, really deep voice answered:

'Sirius Black'.

Ginny sighed once more. It was him! She only had to check few other things: make 100 sure and find out, how and why?

'Your nickname?'

'Padfoot.' She smiled. She loved him being Padfoot.

'Born??'

'April, 2nd, 1961.'

'Tell me the last thing you remember.'

'I was fighting against my cousin Bellatrix, I laughed and then she hit me with some kind of a stunning spell, nothing special, but she must have had a reinforced wand, 'cos it was strong, too strong. Then I fell through that veil, I was falling and falling and…'

'Enough!' that was Holly, entering the room. 'You know enough Gin, now it's time for me to take care of him. If you interview him longer, he'll be dead and all of your fantasies will be buried in the Institute Park.'

'Sleep' said Ginny and Sirius closed his eyes. He looked as if nothing had happened, still motionless.

'Are you satisfied, Ginger?' attacked her the healer, checking Sirius' pulse and general condition on the control board. 'He's alive, but one more question and I wouldn't be so sure!'

'Yeah, as if I couldn't tell by myself that something was happening and, my dear, NOTHING wrong was happening and now we have to wait Merlin knows how long to learn more, because I begin to doubt whether you can awaken him!!' Ginny shouted and bright ed blushed appeared on her cheeks. She hated that.

'You look pretty when you blush, but don't get angry the same moment 'cos it causes wrinkles. And, please, understand me, I only want him to be safe, just for you. You, on the other hand, would like to make him exhausted, before even taking his clothes off him!' Holly put her most wicked smile on, blinking and licking her lips the same time. It lasted a second and then she had to laugh loudly at the confused and livid and even more red sight of Ginny's face.

'You're disgusting with those your dirty American thoughts, Houston' she said when she caught her breath. 'I'm leaving for Hogwarts, I have to inform Dumbledore. Heal him!' she ordered pointing at Sirius. Then she smiled, because she just remembered something, 'He's already naked' she pointed once again at the body, under a hospital sheet. 'Don't forget that, sweetheart!'

Ginny smiled sweetly and evilly, just as she could with her ironic attitude to everything, even to sex. Holly laughed once more, Ginny wasn't to be beaten. She simply won every argument.

Hogwarts

'Professor, are you there?' Ginny's head asked form the flames in Albus Dumbledore's fireplace. She was sitting uncomfortably on the floor, in front of a very small fireplace in her rented room in Hogsmead, trying to find the headmaster. She chose to rent a room in Hogdmead instead of London, 'cos even though it's smaller than the capital, it is possible to be there anonymously, while in London lived thousands of people who knew her and who wouldn't let her come and leave just like that. When she left hospital ward, she directed quickly to the Communications Dep., from where she could easily and informally leave for England. Henry, whom she had asked for that favour, mocked a little, commented her looks, but very promptly switched on the Floo Net that lead overseas and a second later Ginny found herself at Miles' Dirty Inn in Hogsmead.

Dumbledore lifted his head and looked into the flames. Flabbergasted.

'Ginny?? Ginny' he smiled broadly. 'It's so nice to see you? Are you in London? Harry's just been here, I can…'

'Yes, no…' she was a little confused. She would really prefer it if her trip stayed a secret. 'Can I come in, it's extremely uncomfortable here and I have to talk to you.'

Dumbledore might have felt anxious, though he didn't show it and with a generous move of his hand he invited Weasley in. Moment later she was standing in his office.

Albus was pouring tea to cups. Ginny was sitting in an armchair, biting her lip and wondering how to begin.

'You look great, Ginny, you're not getting older at all. But you should get some rest, I think. That's why you're here? Visiting your mother?' Albus asked. The question made Ginny had to focus on the aim of her visit, she had to quit that regretful thinking about how wonderful she had felt at Hogwarts and that such feelings are not to be regained.

'Nope. I have some serious job right now and I came here only to tell you something.'

'Hmm…' he said and investigated Ginny's eyes for a while. She had to turn her head away. It wasn't that Dumbledore made her feel uneasy. She only knew he would guess her troubles in a while. 'Something about your work? Ginny' he laughed silently. 'I have thought you considered yourself to be the best in what you do.'

'Well,' she looked in his eyes proudly 'even I sometimes have to take care of other things.'

'So, what news are you bringing me? I hope they're not bad, but you look really serious. What's wrong?'

'Serious…' Ginny repeated and chuckled voicelessly. 'Remember, Professor, news don't have to be tragic to be bad.'

'Yes, I know. So, nobody's died. That's good. So, what's wrong? Please, give up that play and speak as sensibly as you used to.'

Ginny looked into the eyes of her Professor. He was getting older, but he hadn't lost his sense of humour. And, what's more important, he was now probably the only one who could stand her in her complicated mood, which lasted at least five years.

'Remember the veil in the Ministry?'

'The one in the Dep. Of Mysteries? Of course, it's in perfect state.'

'A similar veil appeared in my Institute in the States' she gave him a photo of it, the curtain was moving maliciously. 'These are the things that appeared through it. And this' she gave him last two pictures, 'is a man who also appeared.'

Dumbledore wanted to say something about that men may appear, especially through such portals, but the last picture showed the face of the man who arrived. It was definitely Sirius Black. He dropped the pictures and whispered:

'Sweetest Jesus…'

'That's Sirius Black, Professor.'

'I do see it's Sirius Black, but what the hell is he doing there?'

'Well, as far as I'm concerned, his dead body had never been found, so it could be anywhere. The problem is not why he is THERE, but HOW he got there. And why.'

'You have your thinking, Ginny. Maybe something felt that he should be buried at last.'

'BURIED??' Ginny screeched. 'Buried? Professor, I failed to mention one more thing. He's perfectly alive.'

Dumbledore looked seriously concerned. Ginny took advantage of his sudden dumbness, ignoring his shocked eyes and oddly open mouth, to describe the whole story, since the moment she found him, to the latest revelation of Veritaserum. She showed him the tape from the interrogation and by the time she finished, it was almost night.

(teachers, especially Prof. McGonagall, and all the students at school were completely stunned by Dumbledore's absence at dinner, but all of them pretended that they had noticed nothing. In fact, it was nothing special, it happened every thirty or forty years, so not to worry)

They haven't ascertained anything special. Dumbledore was to be informed as soon as Sirius regained consciousness. He promised to prepare his family (wondering, what sort of family? Hmm, Harry?) and friends to his return and to arrange the legal matters, like the cancellation of testimony of death and obtaining some proof of identity for him. Ginny was to prepare scientific proofs of Sirius being Sirius and medical report that he's not dead. And she had to take care of him (read: hide him) till Albus arranged all of that. To Ginny's concern, he wouldn't be able to complete the task before summer.

It meant that Ginny was to spend at least three months with Sirius under her roof. Providing, he survived that caring treatment of Houston. Providing, he wanted to stay with her.

Ginny wasn't anxious because she had to spend time with him. Quite the contrary, she'd love to do it. There was another concern: she had to hide Sirius' presence from her dearest and nearest. Even though she spent most of the time abroad, even though she decided to live her own, maybe not entirely joyful, but her own life, Harry was still her best friend, she had good contact with her parents and siblings, she enjoyed the company of Harry's and Ron's wives: Luna and Hermione Granger. And though they argued very often, she would never ever lie to them. Now she simply had to.

Holly's Ward

few days later

Holly was sitting at her desk, drinking her noon coffee, when she noticed Ginny's pale but happy face through the window in the door.

'Holy shit, Granger! Your Highness mercifully decided to show up? What I owe it too?'

'Hello, Holly' Ginny simply ignored those insults. 'How is he?'

'Who? Allen Holzmann? Oh, of course not. You wanted to inquire about the condition of your dearest friend who was brought here unconscious two weeks ago and who caused your insomnia and whom you haven't visited since about a week!?'

'Five days' answered unmoved Ginny and sipped coffee from Holly's cup. 'I have to remind you that other people can't sit day by day at the same desk, drink coffee, do nothing and get reasonable salary for that. Other people have to work.'

'Get your own coffee' smiled Holly. 'this one is a part of my lazy job.'

They looked at one another and laughed. They repeated such conversations daily and were never bored. They both were intelligent, Ginny had her logical reason, Holly incredible medical intuition and they enjoyed colourful insults and properly dosed irony.

'he's almost conscious, Ginger.'

'why: "almost"'

'He would be conscious if I hadn't given him sleeping potion' said Houston quickly and with similar promptness she moved away from the range of Ginny's hands.

'WHAT?????' shouted Ginny trying to catch Holly's robes. Holly was wise enough to anticipate being beaten.

'Oh, I'm just leaving for you the most interesting job, honey. He opened his eyes and asked "where am I?". I told him he was in hospital. And, believe me I could see him asking, what day it is or something similar. Maybe he's not a murderer, but he looks like a madman and I'm not gonna tell him it's 2012.'

Ginny looked puzzled and completely lost: what the hell was that zany woman talking about? She put a face as if she was asking and Holly needed no more encouragement to continue:

'Well, imagine you black out and then open your eyes and then some nice woman, or man, you fanatic, tells you it's 2027. I would definitely bang him. Her. Him. You can get in there, the drug should be vanishing in a minute or so. But, remember my child, don't run to me afterwards all bruised and wounded.' She added as if she was a grandmother or something.

Ginny shook her head and went into Sirius' room. She sat on a chair next to the bed and waited. Sirius was sleeping. He wasn't motionless, he was breathing loudly and moving his fingers. Moment later his eyes began to blink and he stared, unaware of everything, at Ginny. She tried to smile encouragingly but that was impossible because she was still biting her lip. She suddenly found dryness in her mouth and had to clear her throat before speaking, but he outdid her in that. Sirius coughed and spoke:

'Where… Where am I? What time it is? Who are you? I know you?'

'Calm down and lie still, Mr Black, it's for your own good' grr.. tragic beginning, but what else could she say?'

'I'm lying still' he answered offensively. 'If you want to be sure, give me another dose of that sleeping drug.'

'Hey!' she said compromisingly. 'I don't want you to be unconscious. We've gotta talk.'

'Hmm…' he was perplexed. 'OK, then, what am I doing here.'

'So you're no longer interested in: where, when, and who I am' she answered playfully and continued to keep within limits his astonishment. 'I wanted to ask ya the same question: what are you doing here?'

'May I be the first to ask?' she nodded and he kept watching her intensively, trying to recall. It wasn't one of his former lovers, was it? 'Who are you, you look familiar…'

'It's because we met before, Sirius' Ginny smiled sweetly and tied her shoulder length hair with her hands. 'I used to have longer and brighter hair and I used to be a child. I'm Virginia… Ginny, Ginny Weasley…'

She saw a flash of recognition deep in his eyes. That beautiful, dark red-haired, twenty-something old woman was Ginny, Harry's friend from school, daughter of Molly and Arthur? Has she taken some illegal mixture causing ageing? How? Why? What? Impossible…

He was watching her in awe mixed with fascination, not replying. Ginny took her chance to continue. She didn't think that keeping him safe from all the horrible for him news was wrong. That couldn't do him good. She decided that the best thing was to inform him there and now about the whole situation.

'You probably think I'm 30 and you're right, 'cos it's 2012. You appeared a fortnight ago in this Institute in the USA. I work here, by the way, and I was the one who found you. Fifteen years ago, during the fight in the Ministry you fell through a veil and were acknowledged dead. The war finished two years later. Oh, you were cleared then and allowed a memorial board in 'Individuals To Remember' section of national cemetery. Sorry, I informed you so roughly, but I wouldn't stand all those "take a deep breath" and "this may seem strange but". Now you know and we can think.'

They were silent for a longer while. Sirius was absorbed by that ton of information and Ginny suddenly felt uneasy by his concern and thoughtful look. And by her uncontrolled, rapid speech. She should have planned that differently. Well, she had planned that differently. So why the hell it went wrong? Why couldn't she stand his curious questions, his eyes demanding the truth.

Sirius smiled weakly and sat more comfortably on the bed. He would prefer to be left alone, but she stayed and this was good, too.

'So we won the war…' he began after another pause.

'Yes, Harry killed Voldemort on the 22nd of May, 1999,' Ginny felt she began one more prompt and crazy speech, but she couldn't help it. She was gossiping like a pretentious bimbo, giggling silly occasionally and never taking a deep breath. Now, Sirius must have considered her ridiculous. 'At night, with a sword. We persuaded him not to use his wand, I… we considered it to be too clear, pure to be wasted on such shit. And he did it perfect, I mean, he ended up with his shirt all covered with Voldemort's blood, but what is important is that it worked. From a perspective it looked that your death was precious, I mean, you died for Harry and because of that he was safe and could stay longer in your house. I guess that's why I developed my interest in Ancient Arts. And what's more crucial, during every contact with your relative, especially with Bellatrix, he gained power, strength and protection. For instance he could do Harry no harm, when Lestrange was close, well, nobody could, so Bellatrix was useless to Voldemort. It was fun to see her defeated face, Sirius. Really fun.'

'So it worked out, huh?' he asked smiling at her.

'Perfectly… Though, the Order was sadder without you. They all were so serious all the time afterwards.'

'So you imply I'm not serious.'

'I wouldn't dare to' Ginny laughed. 'Though you were grounded, you stayed active and after your death, they began to talk and think and look serious, not to act. It was unnerving. That's what we liked… what we like about you, you act, not waste your time on foolish deliberations.' Sirius laughed at that correct summarising. Ginny took a longer look at him and asked, at last reasonably and calmly.

'You're not dead. We all thought you were, Sirius'

'I though that too' he laughed. 'When she hit me and I felt I was falling I knew I was dying. That's my last though. Then I saw that blonde doc., making me falling asleep.'

'That was healer Houston. She's an evil person.'

'That evil person's just showed you a middle finger from behind that glass wall.' He said, taking his gaze away from Ginny, but only for that little while he needed to notice Holly.

'That's what I'm talking about. No privacy, the room is bugged.'

'So, Ginny' he said, looking seriously again, 'I'm lagged 15 years behind. A lot to make up for.'

'It's to be done, I think. It may take some time, but it's definitely possible.'

'When can we start. I really feel well, now. When can we go to England?' he began to move up and Ginny had to stop him with her hands and push on his pillows. He looked thin and miserable, but that was definitely a man. And Ginny's hands felt it instantly. They began to sweat and tremble and Ginny had to take them away from Sirius as soon as he lay down and hide them nervously under her legs. She wasn't used to being nervous while with opposite sex, last time she felt uneasy was when she first met Harry. That whole situation was being stupid and even stupider were the things she had to explain to him.

'Don't move. It's Holly's ward and she would hang me on the first lamp if I allowed you to move. Believe me. I'll make sure you leave the hospital as soon as possible. When this happens, you'll have to stay with me for a while. I've got a comfortable house, so don't be scared. You're supposed to be dead, so we have to arrange your comeback properly. I told Dumbledore about you and he will think of something.'

'So, I can't go to London, see them all, see Harry… That's gloomy news, Ginny.'

'No, it will be gloomy for Fred and George who erected a monument for you and will have to damage it when you'll be officially alive.'

'They built me a monument?' he looked puzzled. Ginny laughed, relaxed at last. She stood up and offered him her hand. Sirius shook it and then held a while.

'A small one. And ridiculous. And you would benefit if you didn't see it.' They both laughed. 'Now, I've gotta go, so behave politely or Houston will write about mental diseases or being an alien in medical report.'

Ginny walked towards the door, when he called her.

'See you, Ginny.'

She turned back, smiled and blinked, 'See you, Padfoot.'

----------

AN: Well? Isn't it a good job? Write any comments you like (I prefer those sweet ones). See ya!


	4. i still have my clothes on

**4:** I still have my clothes on.

'Really, Ginny. It's a house!' Sirius complimented Ginny's mansion when he first saw it. Ginny was a little embarrassed, but laughed, because if Sirius was in his dog form he would wag his tail out of his/it's mind. He whistled loudly and they entered.

A week after his coming to life, Sirius was allowed to leave the hospital. Holly, of course made Ginny a scene, and made her promise that she will be able to visit her most precious patient ever. She even asked Sirius if she could use this expression as a title of her memoirs if he became famous. After that speech Ginny left the ward immediately, guiding Sirius to the underground car-park where her old but dependable Beetle VW was parked as soon as possible. They couldn't apparate at her house, because Sirius wasn't allowed to use his wand, yet. It would look thoroughly suspiciously if somebody found out that a wand that does not exist is being used. Ginny decided to register it on her first trip to NY ("You mean tomorrow?" asked Sirius, she said it was impossible, but promised to lend him one of hers).

How did he look? Goooood… (a sigh, ladies, please; men: envy expression). He had his hair cut, they were short now, and nonchalantly leaning over his forehead. Ginny bought him some Muggle clothes and a pair of black corduroy pants, brown jumper and marines' jacket suited him. He was extremely happy, as a child, when he saw a pair of classic Dr Martens' shoes. He was ecstatic he was alive. Ginny couldn't remember whether she had ever seen him in such a good mood before.

Sirius was, still, concerned about that 15-year gap in his life, but he decided that things could have gone worse. He could have been irreversibly dead.

Ginny's house was a small (but spacious, if you know what I mean), beige house with dark roof and lots of plants around. It had a pool, a garage, a place for brooms, several bedrooms and elegant, but homey fireplace, with low armchair that made all those conversations comfortable and a WIN-screen with keyboard and fashionable quill to write on it.

Ginny showed Sirius the house and he couldn't help being amazed at her taste, sense of design and ability to unite them comfortably. She showed him his room (pastel-green walls, dark, mahogany 4-poster bed with black, velvet curtains, classic furniture (filled with clothes, books, magazines) and huge windows through which he could see the mountains).

'It's Harry's wedding day' Ginny was showing Sirius some of the family pictures she had on her voluntary emigration. Sirius watched photos, trying to remember every detail, he wanted to regain wasted (on being dead, by the way) years 'his wife Luna, one of our schoolmates. They seem to understand each other, on some inaccessible for anyone else levels. It's his eldest son, James, it's his first picture, look at his hair, unbelievably black, Black.'

'And Harry's… Lily's eyes. It's confusing, whose eyes are those?'

'Jamie's. He's 12 now, about to finish his first year at Hogwarts. And that's his second son, Harry wanted a girl so he could name her "Lily", but you can't always get what you want and he had Sirius junior.'

'You're kidding' he looked at her, proud and joyful. Son of his godson. Sirius.

'Yes, he named him Lucius.' She returned the gaze and laughed. They were sitting very close, on a soft, comfortable sofa full of cushions. You can't watch pictures divided by a table, and that's why they were half-lying, sharing the photos, discussing, commenting. Sometimes their hands touched, sometimes Ginny had a desire to lay her head on his chest. Sometimes Sirius wanted to ask her why wasn't she in England, sharing all those happy feelings and situations with her closest friends, but preferred to stay in the USA with him. He couldn't help thinking she must have been waiting (unaware of that, of course) for him.

But why would such a beautiful, smart young lady like to wait and be for him?

But how could such a brave, handsome guy feel for her something more than only friendship – an agreeable relationship between a girl and a man.

Ginny tried to escape those silly thoughts and began talking about her friends. She described Harry's successful work as an Auror, Fred & George's international shop, Ron's publishing house and Mione's organisation that fought (peacefully) for equality of magical creatures. She told about her father, and the Ministry in general. She summarised the war, described how Charlie died, how Lupin found the love of his life during his work for the order…

'Her name is Spark and she's warm and joyful and bright minded. He seems happy.'

She told him that Moody left for a comfortable and safe bed in Caribbean, and that Tonks began teaching DADA at Hogwarts.

'And she's pretty good. She right now destroys only 75 of touched equipment. She's been teaching for seven years now, so the curse is over…'

Ginny showed him also some pictures from her travel around the world, her research. She talked about her work briefly and when it got dark outside, Sirius was ensured he had luck to meet the most fascinating woman in his life.

Because Ginny's life had really been fascinating (so far). Her desire for retrieving the beauty of Ancient Arts for the world was burning and, when she found out that it will be impossible to live off dealing with it in England, she decided to leave. American Wizardry Scientific Institute offered her a grant to study this matter all over the world and, when her fieldwork was done, she went, in exchange of that, to work as DADA specialist in the Institute's Headquarters.

'It's a sad thing, that nobody really cares about the Ancient. Neither there, nor here. I mean, Americans simply love to kidnap young scientists from UK, they can afterwards talk how generous and caring about culture they are. The work that I want to do is of no value to them, but I can complete it as long as I fulfil my other duties as well. In England I would felt successful if I became a librarian.'

She talked about the pure magic that was still used, uncontaminated by our civilization, for example in Sahara countries, in Siberia, Andes, Polynesian Islands.

'I have half of the house filled with gathered there information and completely no time to finish a little part of it, 'cause I'm needed to take care of stinking bins or mysterious spots on windows. God!'

----------

'I'm bored', groaned Sirius and turned around on his deckchair to expose his back to the sun. He spotted Ginny, who was laughing and preparing to go out. Where the fuck she wanted to go (out)? 'What you think you're doing?' he asked suspiciously.

'Laughing' she answered and combed her hair.

'You haven't thought I'm totally unobservant, have you?'

'Harry told me that being bored was the only thing you were doing at school. And Remus confirmed that, so…'

'School was boring' Sirius sat a little bit offended and then grinned wickedly. 'And I was doing other things, too. Where do you think you're going?'

'Out.' Answered Ginny simply.

'And you haven't asked me if I think you look properly?'

'Even if I was going on a date, you would be probably the last person I would ask for opinion about my looks. Remember, you've missed 15 years of fashion.'

'But I learn quickly, you could trust my taste. So what is it if it's now a date' he looked relieved but Ginny couldn't find out, why. She was a little confused and anxious, but answered.

'I have a meeting with Dumbledore, I'll give him the documentation and we will talk about your return. Albus promised to bring someone from the Ministry, a guy responsible for the registration of wizards. You need a new license.'

'I'm gonna cross my fingers.'

'Try hard.'

Dumbledore's office

Anthony Thobes, an official responsible for registrations of witches and wizards, granting them licenses, renewing them etc., left as soon as he was given all the reports that Ginny gathered on Sirius. He had a positive attitude towards his case, but warned Dumbledore and Ginny not to wait for rapid results.

'The procedure of renewing licenses and, what's more crucial, cancellation of death's judgment takes a lot of time. I'll open a secret lawsuit tomorrow, but the General Jury is not to be gathered before the end on June, I'm afraid. Till then we have to keep it a secret.'

When he left, Albus wanted to calm Ginny down, but it wa hard because he was relieved himself. He, too, supposed they all needed time. Sirius needed time to catch up with the world, he needed time to prepare Black's friends to the news, world needed time to arrange his comeback. It was not bad…

'Not bad?!?!' cried Ginny, getting up and walking around the circular room. 'For whom it's not bad.'

'Ginny, I was stunned by the news and you now there are not many things that can astonish me. Others are not so well prepared to such strange news. They'd suffered the loss of him and had overcome. It was difficult, but they learned how to live without him around and they're used to it…'

'But why haven't you thought that Sirius isn't used to living without them…'

---------

'What's the matter Ginger?' asked Sirius when Ginny stormed into the house.

'Please, stay the one who does not irritate the hell out of me.'

'What's the problem?' he asked looking concerned. 'Something went wrong?'

'Everything is wrong! Sorry, babe, I tried, but if you want to live your life, you have to find another defender,' she opened the fridge and took a beer. Sirius did the same and followed her to the couch where she explained everything to him. Sirius took it better than she had expected, though he put a good face on a bad business, because he didn't want Ginny to get more depressed.

'It's gonna be fine,' he tried to comfort her by holding her and stroking her arms while she cried (we don't have to remind that Ginny found such situation humiliating, well, anyhow, she used to). 'It can benefit in hilarious situations, for example if I keep doing nothing, lying and eating all day, I'll soon be overweight and I have never been fat in my life!'

'Hmm,' Ginny sobbed, but giggled. 'I'll have to find you some work.'

'I've got it' Ginny ran towards Sirius, took his hand and led him somewhere.

'The work?' he wasn't satisfied. 'No, please, what? I can't do more housework, I hate it. And I don't want to put together quills. Ginny, Ginny, what…'

He didn't finish, because Ginny opened an innocently looking door and showed him her Ancient Library. Well, she was right when she told that it took half of the house. It was absolutely huge. Like a gymnasium. High bookshelves, large desk, tons of spare writing materials.

'Ohh, you don't want me to clean here, do you.'

'Stop groaning and get a grip, man. No, though I wouldn't mind if you did some cleaning. Look' she was a little timid and unsure if her idea was right, but what the hell. 'You have always been good at DADA, so maybe you would like to take care of the Ancient defence methods. I'll never be able to analyse all of that stuff and, well, you know that I try to write about the healing part. Just, I don't know if you like the idea, but… I'll leave the door open.'

Sirius was extremely surprised. Positively, of course. He had never been a library guy, but time had passed and maybe he was ready now to create something by himself, to find forgotten things. Oh, he was exhilarated. He hugged Ginny and transformed into his dog form to demonstrate his happiness. Ginny shouted as he licked her hand and ran away.

"Huh!" thought Sirius the dog, "we wanna play". He followed her to the garden.

"Ups" thought Ginny the fugitive "have I just encouraged him to play?"

Padfoot followed her around the pool and Ginny got trapped near the deckchairs. She tried to jump over them but fell, pushed by Sirius and landed on the grass, with Sirius in the human form on top of her, causing terrible noise.

'Ouch!' she giggled as he tickled her a bit. She looked in Sirius' playful eyes. 'If you think that's the best way to seduce women, I have to put you right: they will be a little bit shocked and probably unwilling to take their lingerie off.'

'You take it quite well…'

'Really? I still have my clothes on.'

'Allow me a little more time' He grinned and Ginny couldn't help…'

'Ginny!!!' that was a strange voice and it belonged to an elderly woman, staying on a ladder in her garden, looking over Ginny's wall. 'What was that noise?'

Ginny and Sirius immediately stood up and smoothened their clothes.

'Good afternoon, Mrs Perelski. How are you?'

'Hmm…' was the lady's answer. 'Who's that guy?'

'That's my fiancée. He's just returned from Europe.' Ginny's a good liar.

'You're getting married' the strict-looking lady smiled with content. 'When' she asked softly.

'In the summer. Good bye.' Ginny smiled and waved her hand. The lady disappeared. 'It shouldn't have happened, but the magical screen that made the garden invisible must have suffered during our yesterday's brooming. I'll have to repair it,' she kept talking, but Sirius wasn't listening. He was grinning foolishly and grabbed Ginny's hand as she directed to the house.

'I'm so glad you informed me we're engaged' he laughed and tried to kiss her. Ginny ran backwards.

'be serious. I had to beseech her so she wouldn't call some moral organisations. Fiancée was bearable.'

She went home. A little disappointed by her reply. Sirius, though she couldn't know it, felt that too.

Sirius was watching some (magical) tapes on DADA in Africa on Ginny's WIN, when on the screen appeared a red box with "HARRY" written on it. It was a message from Harry on "write and talk" programme, devised to help people to communicate without flames. Or owls.

Sirius, of course and Ginny would have been proud (if it hadn't concerned her private messages), firstly clicked the box and then thought.

When he clicked, a window appeared on the WIN-screen with few lines from Harry.

H: Are you there, Redhead? Hello?

Sirius was caught by remorse, wasn't this a message for Ginny, only. But he opened it (without thinking, but Ginny liked that, you know, first kill then ask) and refusing to answer would be impolite. And, the crucial thing, he could talk to Harry. Hmm, Harry, he had known a boy and now was going to have a chat with a grown man, head of a family. Good Lord…

G: I'm here, but in London's what… about 11 am why aren't you working.

Sirius tried not to make mistakes, it was funny for him to write with a quill on a keyboard and then to read the results on the screen. He was at first afraid that it would repeat his handwriting, but the device was cleverer: every single letter appeared in the most anonymous BusinessWitch font.

H: Nothing to do. Sittin' in my office, mailing friends and so on

G: Lucky you.

H: You should relax. Come back. Rest. You know what's coming up, don't you

G: Sure I know (lied Sirius). I'll come, I promise…

H: In the summer, huh

G: I'm afraid so…

H: Such talking is sad

G: and confusing. You don't know what to say. And we don't see each other.

H: Yeah… Oh, Luna began cursing you about choosing Sirius' name again. You should keep taking those anti-curse pills . She thinks it's his destiny to be disobedient and naughty.

G: It surely is.

H: Don't be so happy right now, his unbelievable, for example during…

'Sirius, who are you talking to?' it was real Ginny, getting home late and noticing Sirius definitely talking on "w&t". before he could hide it, she saw: 'Harry? What were you talking to Harry ab…' she ran quickly through the conversation and smiled. Then she took the quill and politely ('well, good for me, dead tired. Sleep') finished the contact. Sirius was uncomforted.

'Why couldn't I talk to him.'

'I don't want you to lie to him. It's enough I have to lie.'

'I was definitely following your lie-line. And,' he grinned, 'why haven't you tell me, you chose the name?'

'I liked you. And please, if you want me keep this feeling, bring me beer.'

Sirius stroke her hair playfully and directed to the kitchen. Ginny watched him, smiling. She liked him, true. She likes him now, too.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

AN: I don't have to remind you to review, please. Do you like it, still? Thanks. See you!


	5. feels like home

Hello again! Thanks for your reviews. I love you guys! I haven't thought this is the story you like! I solemnly swear that one day I will re-read and double-check my stories, but I really have too little time right now, I wouldn't update if I had to do it! Sorry it takes me so long to update, but I really need good reason to do it, and the best reasons are your reviews. Ha ha ha! Now, you wanna more, you write.  Here's another chap, hope you like it.

(I will remind you at the end, but I think I'll say it now: remember to review. I know you wait for the story, but I wait for your reviews!)

5: FEELS LIKE HOME

It was early in the morning, when Ginny quietly opened the door of Sirius bedroom and soundlessly got inside. She had a reason to do it: it was the 2nd day of April and it was Sirius' birthday, who cared, which. She wanted to give him his gift before she left for work and

She hadn't thought it looked a little bit silly and inappropriate for a young woman to get into a stranger's bedroom so early, wearing only short pyjamas. It was a tradition in the Weasley's family to wake the one who was having birthday and give him gifts in his bed. That was the reason why she found herself sitting on the mattress near Sirius' feet. She didn't have to wake him up, because her nasty, nosy black cat jumped straight on Black's face.

'What the fuck?' he shouted and briskly sat on the bed. He saw a blurred shape of Ginny and before he could rub his sleepy eyes, she sang:

'Happy Birthday to you… Happy birthday dear Padfoot, Happy Birthday to you.'

She leant promptly, kissed his cheek and handed him a wrapped in paper unidentified shape. Sirius was speechless. He gazed at her, and than at his present (meanwhile at the cat, now lying on his pillow). Ginny was encouraging him to open it and, before he could even murmur "thank you", the paper was taken off and Sirius saw:

"A key?'

'A key to something' Ginny smiled uncannily. 'To something big, black'n'silver, with two wheels and extremely comfortable handlebars…'

'Motorcycle?', he was lost. How many wonderful things could happen to him. He was woken up by a beautiful girl, who remembered his birthday and who gave him a material thing he missed the most from his past life.

'Do you like it?' she asked abruptly, unable to figure out his feelings. 'It's in the garage, so you can see it. It's probably not as cute as the one you used to own, but it's not bad. And it flies high. And fast. I… I just thought you would like it… Do you, Sirius?'

'Do I?' he jumped out of the bed, grabbed Ginny's hand and danced with her around the room. 'I love it, Ginger! I can't remember my latest present, a gift from someone who cared. Can we see it' he hugged her quickly. 'Now?'

They ran downstairs, to the garage and the black cat followed. The sight of that trio would appear funny to some strangers, but luckily nobody was able to watch it. Ginny was wearing short, green pyjamas and had her hair loose and Sirius was naked (except for a pair of boxers). The cat was black. The stood next to the vehicle, holding hands as if they were kids doing something wrong and forbidden. Ginny laughed at he thought, but Sirius, who was incredibly reading in her mind answered grimly:

'It is forbidden. I can't go outside.'

She winked at him and smiled (and it was a smile of someone who's up to no good).

'So, are you gonna obey, or…'

Sirius needed no more encouragement. He jumped onto the seat, whirled a little and started the engine.

'woo hoo! It works!' he grinned. 'What are you waiting for, Ginger?'

Ginny, hesitantly, though, sat behind him and, intensively tried not to think that her arms had to embrace his naked belly.

'What if somebody sees?' Sirius asked looking concerned. He wanted to try out the motorbike instantly, but, he was not to be seen. Honestly, the prank-player marauder had grown up and began to respect cautious moves. To his surprise, Ginny giggled. He recognised the girl that he had met at Grimmauld Place, 12: a smart and playful teenager. He couldn't remember, whether Ginny giggled with him since his return, he doubted. She was serious and concerned. And sad, though willing to help him. On the contrary, now her giggle turned into a full laughter. What was going on?

'Sirius…', she laughed again, trying desperately to catch her breath, 'We're wizards here! And I swear, I'll become a full-time Muggle if anybody notices us.'

Black was positively flabbergasted and joined Ginny's laughter. She muttered "evanesco" and it made the vehicle invisible. Sirius stepped on the gas.

If there is an official definition of a careful, attentive flying motorbike driver, Sirius was an extreme opposition to such a man. He was mad. Crazy. Freak. Ginny wondered, how many more epithets she could find. She left her pride on the ground, forgot all nice sexual contexts embracing a man included and was holding him tightly, desperately trying not to fall during unexpected turns, killing dives, ascents that caused unpleasant sensations in her stomach, crazy accelerations and rapid stops. Well, if there was a man who was born to touch the handles, it was Sirius.

He landed in a hidden meadow and let out a scream of joy.

'Still alive, Ginger?' he smiled as he turned around, with sparkles in his Guinness-eyes. He pretended he hadn't noticed her hands still on his sides. But he felt it, a gentle, painful, magical touch of a woman. Ginny was catching her breath, she looked as if she wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. Finally, she decided to hit him, not so hard, on his arm.

'You wanted to kill me!', she left the seat and wandered around Sirius, who was a little confused. When she spotted his expression she laughed. 'Better than the roller-coaster! You're good at it.'

He considered her for a while. Ginny had red cheeks and looked so happy and relieved. He liked that. The stripe from her shirt fell apart and her shoulder was naked in a very sexy way. He liked her… Ginny spotted his silly gaze and shrugged:

'What?'

'Wanna learn how to do it?' he asked. It was better to speak than to stare, he thought.

'Wanna…' she answered slowly, suddenly realising what it meant. It meant sitting in front of the motorbike's seat, hands on the handlebars, with Sirius sitting beside her: his chest pressed to her back, his thighs behind hers, his arms following Ginny's. In other words it meant that a very attractive man was to sit really close and she knew she'd been very lonely lately.

Ginny decided to talk. Talking was the best way known to her to hide her emotions and confusion and awkwardness and increasing sexual interest. She also knew that it was the best way to do all those things known to mankind. She was vaguely aware that he must have known that too. People speak with such a frantic speed when they want to hide their embarrassment or if they have no brains. Ginny had her brains, Sirius was sure of that.

'OK, so I've tried it before, maybe not in the way you showed to me, but, oh, here we go. I push this something and we're flying, aren't we? I had a trial round with the salesman, such things, motorcycles, are allowed in the USA. Really! And we had an official training, he wouldn't let me have it if I wasn't able to use it properly. It seems easy, but, in fact, you can't deny brooms are easier, they don't have so many complicated tools, keys and mirrors, so it's useful, but…'

'Turn right' Sirius' lips materialised next to Ginny's ear. Gosh.

'OK' she whispered weakly and moved the handles a little. Sirius laughed and moved even (EVEN!) closer.

'You can do better than that, Ginger!. Try this', he put his hands on hers. His chin was resting on Ginny's shoulder and he was smiling to her. And then he made a sudden turn and the world around them blurred.

'Do you want my stomach to appear on that tree?'

'You're the driver…' he smiled again and Ginny looked in his eyes. So war, so brown, so happy. She smiled back innocently and opened her lips. When he moved closer, smiling broader, she grinned and dived, letting Sirius' smile glide somewhere in the air above them. 'Cheater. We should get my smile back.'

'no, we have to go back home, I can't be late for work.'

'We can't, huh!' Sirius tickled her. 'You're sure?'

Ginny laughed and he joined. 'Look, you're smiling, no point going up.'

'I'm laughing Ginger. I want my killer smile back. How do you think I'll be able to seduce women without it?'

'who do you want to seduce, Sirius?'

'I don't know. Anyone?'

Ginny smiled as they headed home: 'Me'

'Well', he suspended his voice, trying to sound uninterested and sexy altogether. 'yeah, for example, as a matter of fact, I can't see many other women, can I?'

'If it's me you want to… bag, your killer smile will be of no use to you, Sirius.'

She was serious (well, she sounded seriously) and Sirius wondered whether it meant he couldn't charm her at all, or had to swap weapons, or she had already been charmed.

Ginny landed gently in front of her garage and turned off the motor. They were silent, the street was silent, only the nasty black cat was lazily completing its morning bath. They just sat. Ginny's heart was beating, now she was sure it was audible. Stop it, stop it, she thought and hesitantly took her trembling hands away from the handles and placed them hesitantly on her knees (BTW her knees were only inches apart from Sirius'). Black's hands remained on the handlebars and Ginny was left in fact his embrace. She tried not to move, tried hard not to lean comfortably against his shoulder. She thought the silence that was drilling her ears like a thunderstorm, was very, very awkward. On the other hand, she didn't want to break it, because Sirius' touch and closeness was… pleasant? Nice? Natural?

Ginny closed her eyes and grimaced.

'Gee, you know, Sirius, I'd better move. I shouldn't be late for work.'

She turned her face to him only to notice he was smiling slightly, as if apologising, and his eyes were drilling hers. _Why does he do that, can't he just be normal, does he have to cause me sweat and feel uncomfortable, in an astoundingly pleasurable way?_

'Sure you have to go?'

'Yeah… but it's not the end of the day, is it? I mean, we will have all evening to… to celebrate your birthday, Sirius. We'll eat lots of unhealthy food, drink, watch films, talk… I'll get that stuff on my way…'

'Don't bother' he interrupted as they began their way back home. 'I can buy it via WIN shops, it's easy. Of course if you let me use your credit number. Let me be your host for tonight.'

When they reached living-room Ginny glanced at a clock and froze. Half past nine. Ginger, you're late. Not that it was essential to be early at work, she usually left home after nine, but she was today in total mess. And her hands were still a little trembling. They looked at each other, for a while unsure of what to do or say. Again.

'I'll take a shower.' Suggested Ginny.

'Good. I'll make coffee,' said Sirius.

Ginny came to the kitchen after a while, her hair a little wet, her shirt unbuttoned, clutching some papers. She sipped coffee from her cup. Sirius looked through the papers.

'My notes?'

'Whoa! No shouting. Of course, yours' she smiled and took a toast.

'What are you going to do?' Sirius asked, petrified. It was his almost completed (Ginny would say it was completed, but Sirius was an incurable perfectionist) study about Polynesian DA Detectors, simple, natural and, it seemed, efficient.

'Burn the bullshit,' Ginny mocked. 'Oh, really, I wouldn't do that on your birthday, would I? I'm having some of my notes sent to London, Remus's an editor of Ron's scientific magazine, they publish my stuff. My assistant will be delighted to rewrite some more.'

'You're evil,' commented Sirius, who was now smiling broadly, resting on his chair.

Sirius wanted to prepare a really fantastic evening. He realised that the strange, wonderful, unnerving but welcomed electricity between Ginny and him was getting stronger every time he thought of her, touched her, she smiled to him, it was now placed deeply in Sirius' stomach and wanted never to leave. He felt as if he had taken drugs. Lots of drugs. He was singing, together with the radio, dancing around the room. He automatically opened Ginny's fridge and stopped. It was to empty to throw a party.

That meant shopping.

Sirius used to hate shopping, but since he realised how easy and pleasurable it is to shop via WIN, he has been happy to take that duty off of Ginny. It was as easy as opening a site of a large shop (you simply wrote "food" and "shopping" and the ingenious device found WIN-shopping services). Sirius liked the Mediterranean markets, full of fresh vegetables, dozens of kinds of pasta and original Italian sauces. He filled in the order, deciding it would be fun to prepare a pizza and a salad together with Ginny. He added few bottles of Californian wine and waited. The salesman (he had never seen his/her face) added up and asked for a credit number. Sirius wrote few numbers and waited for authorisation. A green window appeared and spoke: "thank you for buying at the WVW: Wizard Victuals at WIN". Sirius turned to the fireplace and switched on the flames. It was Thursday and the flames were lilac. Ginny enjoyed such simple magic and he liked it more and more, too. After a while a basket appeared, filled with the groceries.

'Smart' he said and took it to the kitchen.

Ginny arrived at half past five, a little tired but extremely excited. It was going to be a special evening. She spent almost every evening with him, but today they were to cook (ha-ha), drink a lot, eat, watch films, talk, rest and be together. Yeah, it was the last that mattered.

She entered the kitchen and her gaze met Sirius'. He was holding an unopened bottle of wine, she carried bags that weren't light, but for a longer while they just stared. Ginny smiled and felt she was blushing (the most, the most beautiful moment in Sirius' life), so she uncomfortably glanced at her shoes and put her bags on the table.

'Brought some films, old comedies, you know, Monty Python, Indiana Jones, I got some cartoons, too.'

Sirius finished opening the bottle, 'So, what's the plan? We make the food, and do nothing in front of your black and white TV?'

'Sounds good to me' Ginny smiled. 'It's colour!'

Cooking was fun. It was the first conclusion that Ginny came to, when Sirius tried to pour flour into the bowl. He was immediately white and Ginny was watching him with laughter through the unexpected snowfall. Using yeast was disgusting to her and Sirius enjoyed the way she wanted to break the eggs without touching them.

First bottle was empty.

Somehow they managed to put their pizza into the oven. Finally, Ginny put it out and placed few candles in it. Sirius prepared the sofa in front of Ginny's home made cinema (cushions, blankets, opened bottles, table, to put the legs on it and remote control).

'Think of a wish,' Ginny said as they placed themselves on the couch.

'I have a good one,' answered Sirius and seriously looked into her eyes. He blew the fire without even looking at the candles. Ginny smiled.

They had a nice evening. They lay, watched the films, ate pizza and lots of other unhealthy food (including a bonus given by the shop: MuggleMagic Deserts, Pour-boiling-water-and-eat-INSTANT-puddings). They talked and laughed. Ginny was surprised by the natural comfort she felt when she was lying next to him, Sirius wondered how on Earth he found a girl, a woman who was listening to the same kinds of music he liked, watching similar films, laughing in the same moments. Ginny felt something was rising inside her. Comfort, pleasure… She couldn't name it, she was almost sure she had felt it before: it was a feeling that everything in the world was in the right place. She was in the right place and the place was next to Sirius. She glanced at him and smiled. She smiled, too and winked.

'you know, Sirius,' she began, not sure what was it leading to. 'I'm having fun.'

'Yeah, I know. It's fun. It's like… I mean, it feels homey'

'Yeah, it does!' shouted Ginny. It was it, she felt at home. She had forgot that feeling. 'Safe'

'Yeah… Happy…'

'Happy…' she repeated and they turned to the TV, almost unconsciously leaning closer to each other.

It was past midnight when they decided to listen to "The Dark Side of The Moon" and watch mute "From Russia With Love". They were cuddled together as if that was the only thing they had ever done. Sirius arm was embracing Ginny's shoulder, her hand holding remote-control was resting on his thigh and he was pleasurably aware of her elbow sometimes kicking his pelvis, she lay her legs on his. Occasionally they spoke aloud the not-heard quotes. Ginny was Connery, and was speaking with an unnatural low voice. Sirius was the Russian girl (Tania? Sonia? Masha?). She was extremely excited by a beautiful nightgown 007 gave her.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, oh James," Sirius couldn't speak any higher. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

"Whoa, lady," Ginny was doing her best to sound sexy "try not to pee over the compartment because of excitement. And this definitely isn't the most beautiful thing ever: you've seen me!"

Sirius laughed and couldn't speak his part.

"Don't laugh, stupid woman," Ginny giggled in a totally un-manly manner. "No, you're not getting dressed, are you?"

Ginny sipped a little wine from her glass.

'It's empty, Ginger,' Sirius remarked.

'So? Can't I sip? It makes me feel at ease.'

'It's wine that makes you feel at ease. Sipping is just an unnerving tick. I'll refill it.'

And then something happened. For Ginny the world had stopped. Sirius took the glass from her hand, well, matter-of-factly, he reached for the glass, but grabbed her hand. And the hand was now sweating and Ginny couldn't help it. How on earth it's possible that the world stops, but she keeps sweating, her heart keeps beating so fast as if it wanted to get out?

Sirius wasn't sure what he had done, he just reached for the glass, but happened to find Ginny's hand in his grab. The touch was magical, and instead of that psychedelic stuff he heard a triumphant symphony. A symphony about her and him. Best music he had ever heard. He looked into her eyes, green and a little teary right now, drilling his. He was unable to move and to look away. It doesn't happen daily. Well, for most of the people it never happens. But it happened for them, that was the right place and the right time. Sirius leaned towards Ginny. Their hearts were beating unison and really fast. For a second they closed their eyes and their lips met, just for a while just to check if it was the thing.

It was the thing.

Sirius leaned backwards, his eyes chained to Ginny's gaze. Her eyes were wide open, her lips open. She was breathing heavily, desperately trying to hide the desire. Well, maybe not desperately. She felt upcoming arousal all over her body and was looking forward to continuation of that. What was that? Their lips only met, for a second or two. He touched her cheek, heaven, he thought. Now he was leaning towards her again, his hand finding its way behind her back, his chest pressing her gently, but urgently to the back of their seat. He felt her hand squeezing his thigh, a dangerous thing. He opened his lips…

BEE BEEP!

It was a sound of Ginny's mini-fire, a useful device invented for people who waited for messages: instead of using a fire place, they used mini-fires and spoke to them (a mini-fire looked like a match-box and burned every time somebody used it). Ginny and Sirius froze in their positions, waiting for the message. Then came out the voice of Holly Houston.

'Ginger, are you sleeping? I wanted to remind you that tomorrow, oh, wait sorry, today you have a date with Jonah McDragon. Hope you haven't forget. Anyway have fun… well, I winked here… bye.'

…

(the sound in the room)

AN: Well? OK, I won't blackmail you, but… write!


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